A parcel of land first claimed by traditional owners in 1977, in the first ever Indigenous land claim in Australia, has been handed back to the Yanyuwa people of the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory.

The ceremonial presentation of about 200 hectares of land was marked with a speech by Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion at Black Rock Landing at the mouth of the McArthur River, 1,000 kilometres south-east of Darwin.

"It is terrific to be part of a process that reflects Australia's new view of the world – 36 years ago governments were resisting land rights."

The Warnarrwarnarr-Barranyi (Borroloola No. 2) land claim was submitted by the Northern Land Council (NLC) in 1979 and covered more than 20,000 hectares in the Sir Edward Pellew island group, north-east of Borroloola.

When that was knocked back, it was part of a parcel submitted under the second ever land claim in 1979.

That second claim was finally granted in 1996, but a portion of the land including four small islands was inadvertently omitted from the deed of grant.

Land owners concerned about development, plan permit system

The land grant is near some of the Northern Territory's richest intertidal fishing waters and close to the King Ash Bay Fishing Club – a small but growing collection of fishing shacks about 50 kilometres from Borroloola.

At King Ash Bay there is a mini-mart, a fuel station, a golf course with raked dirt putting greens, on land sub-leased from the NT Development Corporation.

It is so popular it includes fishing clubs from Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

In 2006, the population was about 60, but since then it has grown substantially, according to Indigenous sea ranger Leonard Norman.

"It's just about enough," he said.

He said he was concerned about tourists encroaching on sacred sites and the Yanyuwa people would introduce a permit system to regulate camping access.

Further developments are also planned, including an operational hub for the Sea Rangers, called li-Anthawirriyarra, which means people of the sea.

The sea ranger unit employs about 20 part-time and full-time rangers and its responsibilities include search and rescue, invasive pest management and maintenance of cultural sites.

But this could change with the land grant and Yanyuwa plans to capitalise on tourism to the area.

Sea Rangers could take a more responsibility

It is likely the li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers would need to take on greater responsibility to enforce water and land-use regulations.

Aboriginal people have come to the table with good will ... The main thing is people want to know what they're doing on the land.

John Daly, NLC vice-chairman

NLC vice-chairman John Daly dismissed speculation this could lead to tension between traditional owners and the King Ash Bay recreational fishermen, some of whom have been visiting the area for two decades.

"The furphy of fishermen and traditional owners is a thing of the past," he said.

"Aboriginal people have come to the table with good will.

"The main thing is people want to know what they're doing on the land."

But when asked about whether the fishing community would accept being policed by Indigenous rangers, Senator Scullion indicated the rangers would be enforcing regulations, not only monitoring.

"The enforcement power of Indigenous rangers is limited. It is less than a police officer or a fisheries officer," he said.

"I've always said there should be no difference between the powers provided to Aboriginal rangers as every other ranger.

"They are the only people here capable of doing any enforcement."

He also dismissed the NLC's concerns about ongoing funding of the Sea Rangers, whose Commonwealth funding stream expires in 2018.